Adventure Games: Expedition Azcana
Adventure Games: Expedition Azcana Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Materials
- 17 large location cards (A–Q)
- 24 small location cards (d1–p5)
- 75 adventure cards (10–84)
- 7 rule cards (R1–R7)
- 6 miscellaneous cards (T1–T6)
- 30 miscellaneous tiles
- 1 adventure book
- 1 research booklet
- 1 group figure with stand
Game Setup
Place the adventure book, the research booklet, and the location cards and adventure cards as face-down stacks on the table.
Check whether the location cards and adventure cards are sorted in ascending order by their letters or numbers (A or 10 on top, respectively). Make sure you do not see any front sides yet!
It is best to make three stacks out of the adventure cards: one with cards 10 to 84, a second with the small letter-number combinations d1 to p5, and a third with the large letter-number combinations R1 to T6. Remember that you may only look at the backs of these stacks until the game tells you to draw specific cards!
Carefully remove the tile with the backpack and hat, and the 18 check marks/question marks, from the punchboard frames. Insert the backpack with hat into the stand. This is your group figure.
Important: There are tiles on the punchboard frames that you should not look at yet. Only remove them from the frames once the game explicitly tells you to! Each tile has a corresponding label on its back (Z1 to Z12) for this purpose.
The setup should then look roughly as shown below. The location cards and adventure cards lie as face-down stacks on the table, the group figure is prepared, the punchboard frames, adventure book, and research booklet are ready, and the check marks/question mark tiles form a supply.
Now place adventure cards 10, 11, and 12 face up on the table. These are the members of your research group. No matter whether you play alone, with two, three, or four players, all three cards are always part of the game. You play the group together, instead of each of you having an individual character. Your group figure therefore always shows where the characters are located.
General Information
Should a card's text or a text in the adventure book contradict the rules in this rulebook, the card's text or the text in the adventure book applies!
- This is a cooperative game. Discuss with each other how you want to proceed, what you want to combine, and which locations you want to take a closer look at.
- You may look again at entries you have already read in the adventure book at any time.
- If you are supposed to or allowed to read an entry, this always applies to the entire entry. It never happens that entries are supposed to or allowed to be read only partially!
- We recommend that you take notes during your adventure. This is especially useful if you save the game and want to continue playing on another day. Some entries also present you with a choice but allow you to come back later and decide differently. Or you may be asked for adventure cards that you do not have, or do not yet have. In that case, it can be worthwhile to return to these locations later.
- Alternatively, you can also use the question marks for this. These tiles are freely available to you. You can use them during the game to mark locations, adventure cards, or other tiles — for example, if you think they might still be important for the progress of the story, if you need an object you do not yet have, to remind yourself to try something with it, etc. Simply place one of the question marks next to the entry or on the adventure card. Also remember to remove the question marks again once they have served their purpose.
- If you are ever at a loss, use the walkthrough for help, which you can find on our website. To do so, go to www.kosmos.de and enter "Expedition Azcana" into the search field. Then click on "PDF Walkthrough." Or you can look up the corresponding number of the adventure card, location, or tile in the hints on pages 10–15. There is a solution for each one that tells you what you can do with it or there, or what is needed for or there, so that the story continues.
- Important: The hints don't give away anything, and the walkthrough doesn't give away too much, about the story! So don't be afraid to use them, and just look something up before getting frustrated over a supposed dead end!
- You can read the texts aloud yourselves or have them read to you by the KOSMOS Helper App.
Game Overview
Whoever most recently left their home country begins the first turn. Once a turn is complete, the next person in clockwise order follows, and so on.
On your turn, you may move the group figure and carry out one action.
Movement
On your turn, you may move the group figure to any location on a location card in play, of your choice, unless an adventure card states otherwise. You may also forgo your movement, but if you do move, your movement must take place before your action.
Location cards are the large cards marked with letters, taken as a whole. Locations are the individual areas marked with three-digit numbers on the location cards.
When you move to a location, for better clarity, be careful not to place your group figure directly on the numbers, but always next to them.
Actions
After your movement, you may carry out one action, but you may also forgo it. In that case, it is simply the next person's turn.
Every possible action has you read aloud an entry from the adventure book, which advances the story, reveals location cards, and gets you adventure cards. The entries are sorted in the adventure book. After the prologue come, alphabetically, all the location card entries A to Q, including the letter-number combinations such as d1, etc. After that follow, in this order, the three-, four-, five-, and finally six-digit number entries.
If you would rather have the texts read to you, select this game in the KOSMOS Helper App and then choose "Adventure Book." Enter the corresponding entry there, and the app will read it aloud to you.
The actions are: Investigate and Combine.
Investigate
If you are standing at a location that is not covered, you can investigate it by looking up its three-digit number in the adventure book and reading it aloud.
Note: Some locations may seem insignificant at first glance. As the story continues, however, they may well become important! So don't be afraid to return to a location later and combine something with it that you didn't have before. Also keep in mind: you cannot solve every puzzle or task the moment you come across it. Often you first need certain items, and sometimes a task or mission spans several chapters. So use the question marks as a memory aid!
Combine
As the game progresses, you can and must combine certain game elements with one another in order to advance. What belongs together will sometimes seem obvious to you, and sometimes not. So be creative!
Every combine action combines two game elements with one another. This creates a new number combination, which you must look up in the adventure book and read aloud. When you combine numbers with one another, put the smaller of the two numbers first and the larger one after it. You do not add the numbers together — you simply string them together!
There are two different kinds of combinations:
- Adventure card with adventure card: this creates a four-digit combination, which usually creates something new out of two objects.
- Adventure card with location: this creates a five-digit combination, which usually represents a use or an investigation. Your group figure must be standing at the corresponding location for this.
So you can never combine two locations with each other!
The game tells you when adventure cards go into the box after combining. If it does not say so, you keep the adventure cards. If there is no entry for a combination, you cannot carry it out. The turn ends regardless!
The characters in your group each have an area of expertise in which they are especially knowledgeable. Since, like any other adventure card, they each have a number, you can combine them with other adventure cards and locations. This then stands, figuratively, for applying that particular area of expertise to the adventure card or the location.
There are sometimes special combinations as well, but these will be explained to you by an entry or an adventure card, and can only be used in that particular situation.
Example: You have found adventure cards 10 (can of cat food) and 11 (can opener). Since you are ravenously hungry but unfortunately have nothing else on hand, you want to risk a bite. To do this, you first need to open the can. So you combine card 10 with card 11 and look up entry 1011. It reads: "Got it, you've opened the can. Put cards 10 and 11 back in the box and take card 12 in exchange." Card 12 shows an open can of cat food. On your next turn, however, you change your mind and just want to get rid of the can. Maybe you can hide it in the suitcase when no one is looking? To do this, you combine card 12 with location 301, look up entry 12301, and read what it says. It's probably a scolding that one shouldn't just leave an open can of cat food in a fellow traveler's suitcase!
Rules for Cards
The adventure cards are the small cards that show either a number or a letter-number combination on both their front and back. Some entries in the adventure book will instruct you to take or hand in adventure cards. If you are instructed to ...
- take one or more adventure cards from the adventure card stack ("take XY"), read them aloud and place them face up on the table, unless stated otherwise. They are now part of your inventory. If it helps you stay organized, you can always place adventure cards next to the person who was supposed to draw them. Since you are traveling as a group, though, you naturally always have access to all the adventure cards in your inventory regardless.
- put one or more adventure cards into the box, they are out of the game! It does not matter where the affected adventure card is located.
It can happen that you are told to take an adventure card that you already own, or to put back an adventure card that is already out of the game. In both cases, you cannot obtain or put back that adventure card again. Still, carry out all other instructions you are given as far as possible.
At several points in the game, adventure cards come into play that change the rules. The game will tell you whenever that is the case. The cards themselves, or an entry, will explain how to play with these cards. Simply follow the instructions.
Tile Rules
There are various different tiles in the game, as well as a number of check marks/question marks (simply use whichever side you need at the time). The game tells you when and how these come into play. Until then, you should not look at the tiles closely.
If you are instructed to place a check mark on a location, you thereby cover the corresponding number so that it is no longer visible. This location is then no longer available to you, and you can no longer combine anything with it. If you are instead instructed to place a check mark next to a location, simply place it directly next to the stated three-digit number. It remains visible, and you can continue to interact with it. The respective purpose will become clear as the game progresses.
Adventure Book
The adventure book contains the entire story of the game and consists of many individual entries, each made up of letters, numbers, or a combination of both. Almost everything you do during the game will have you read one or more entries in the adventure book aloud. If you would rather have the texts read to you, select this game in the KOSMOS Helper App and then choose "Adventure Book." Enter the corresponding entry there, and the app will read it aloud to you.
Make absolutely sure that you only read the entry you are supposed to read!
Many entries in the adventure book contain, alongside the story, game-related instructions as well. Make sure you carry them out in order, and double-check the entry to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. When an entry continues on the next page, we mark this with "➜".
Saving the Game
To save the game, use a mobile phone to take a photo of the current game setup and of the adventure cards you have found so far. Alternatively, you can do this with pen and paper. Note where your figure is standing, which locations you haven't visited yet, where you suspect loose ends, what you still want to try and where, etc. Be sure to also use the question marks for this! Then place all the revealed location cards and the adventure cards you have obtained into one zip bag. Place the location cards and adventure cards that are still face down into the other zip bag. Leave all adventure cards and location cards that are in the box there. Do you want to continue the game? Then set up all location cards and revealed adventure cards according to your photo or your notes, and place your figure at its previous position.
The Game Begins
This is where the game begins. Now read entry 100!
Important! The hints follow on the next pages!
Hints
General
Here you will find, in order, hints for the adventure cards, locations, location cards, and tiles. They each tell you how to obtain something, its possible uses, and what you need to do, receive, or require. Please note that there are of course more combinations than the ones listed here. Many of them, for example, simply give hints on how to solve certain puzzles.
Important: If a hint refers to something that is not yet available to you, you can of course also look up that item's own hint to find out how to gain access to it. You can also use the walkthrough for help. To do so, go to www.kosmos.de, search for "Expedition Azcana," and click on "PDF Walkthrough" on the new page.
How = How do I gain access to it, e.g. by investigating or combining. With what = What can I combine this element with, and what happens then? Further How/With-what options are separated by "//". Important: It's possible that you won't be able to try out every combination!
Example 1: "15: How: A/601. With what: 20, to get 21." means that you obtain adventure card 15 on location card A at 601, and that during the game you must combine it with adventure card 20, for which you then receive adventure card 21.
Example 2: "17: How: 12 with 21." means that you obtain adventure card 17 if you combine adventure card 12 with adventure card 21, thereby reading entry 1221.
Example 3: "17: How: 21 with A/201" means that you obtain adventure card 17 if you combine adventure card 21 with location 201 on location card A, thereby reading entry 21201.
Adventure Card Hints
- 10: How: In play at the start of the game. With what: 44, to get 45.
- 11: How: In play at the start of the game. With what: d2/103 (555), to get 33 // B/412, to get 37 // C/409, to get 32 // D/405, to get 38.
- 12: How: In play at the start of the game. With what: 21, to get 17 // B/612, to unlock C // C/509, to unlock D // M/611, to unlock N.
- 13: How: A/601. With what: 18, to get 23 // 24, to get 29 // A/101, to get 18.
- 14: How: C. With what: D/505, to get Z5 // F/513 (513), to get 46 and Z11 // f1/814, to reach the tower // H/135, to get 50 and unlock h1 // m1/116, to get 83 // O/308, to get 64.
- 15: How: A/601. With what: 20, to get 21.
- 16: How: A/501. With what: 19, to get 22.
- 17: How: 12 with 21 // 21 with A/201.
- 18: How: A/101 // 13 with A/101. With what: 13, to get 23.
- 19: How: A/401. With what: 16, to get 22.
- 20: How: A/301. With what: 15, to get 21.
- 21: How: 15 with 20. With what: A/201, to get 17.
- 22: How: 16 with 19. Solution (901): 3022.
- 23: How: 13 with 18.
- 24: How: C/109. With what: 13, to get 29.
- 25: How: 28 with B/312. With what: 36, to get rid of 36 // B/212, to get Z6 // C/209, to get Z4 // Q/325, to get 49.
- 26: How: d2/203.
- 27: How: D/205. With what: apply Z6 to it (solution: 396), to get 39.
- 28: How: C/309. With what: B/312, to get 25.
- 29: How: 13 with 24. With what: B/512, to get 30 // 35, to get rid of 35.
- 30: How: 29 with B/512. Needed for R2 155 (solution: 305225).
- 31: How: 51 with d1/337. Fills a gap on the map in the research booklet.
- 32: How: C/409 // 11 with C/409.
- 33: How: d2/103 (555) // 11 with d2/103 (555).
- 34: How: d5/230 // d6/603.
- 35: How: d3/630. With what: 29, to get rid of 35.
- 36: How: d4/530. With what: 25, to get rid of 36.
- 37: How: B/412 // 11 with B/412.
- 38: How: D/405 // 11 with D/405.
- 39: How: apply Z6 to 27 (solution: 396).
- 40: How: d2/303.
- 41: How: 56 with e1/602. With what: apply Z6+Z7 to it (solution: 582), to unlock J.
- 42: How: i/346. With what: E/302, to get 60.
- 43: How: i/346. With what: F/113, to unlock f1.
- 44: How: i/146. With what: 10, to get 45.
- 45: How: 10 with 44.
- 46: How: F/513 // 14 with F/513. With what: G/124, to get Z9 and unlock Q.
- 47: How: solve the puzzle on 46 (requires Z9, Z10, Z11, Z12). Solution: 467. With what: F/513, to get 48.
- 48: How: 47 with F/513. Needed to get 4957 126 56 via that route.
- 49: How: 25 with Q/325. With what: 57 (126), to get 56.
Location Hints
- 101: Get 18. With what: 13, to get 18.
- 103: 555, to get 33. With what: 11 (555), to get 33.
- 105: Get R2.
- 109: Get 24 and the research booklet.
- 110: Get 82.
- 111: Unlocks m1.
- 112: Get Z2.
- 113: With what: 43, to unlock f1.
- 116: With what: 14, to get 83.
- 124: Information. More information with 2+ Cleverness.
- 135: With what: 14, to get 50 and unlock h1.
- 139: Unlocks d5 or d6.
- 146: Get 44.
- 201: (650) Unlocks B. With what: 21, to get 17.
- 203: Get 26.
- 205: Get 27. Solution: 396.
- 206: With what: 69, to get 79.
- 208: Get 93.
- 209: Get 93.
- 212: With what: 25, to get Z6.
- 213: Unlocks G.
- 214: Unlocks p3.
- 215: With what: 74, to get 76.
- 216: Get 71.
- 230: Get 34. Unlocks d7.
- 235: Get Z12.
- 237: Get 51 and Z3.
- 239: Unlocks d5 or d6.
- 275: Unlocks j3.
- 286: (686) Get 53, but also advances the agent tile.
- 301: Get 20.
- 302: With what: 42, to get 60.
- 303: Get 40.
- 306: Unlocks M.
- 308: With what: 14, to get 64. Solution: 3121 (the staff is mirror-reversed).
- 311: Get 69.
- 312: With what: 28, to get 25.
- 313: Unlocks H.
- 315: Get 81.
- 316: Unlocks m2.
- 325: With what: 25, to get 49.
- 330: Unlocks d7.
- 335: If h1 is in play: 735, to get 57.
- 337: With what: 51, to get 31 and Z7.
- 346: Get 42 and 43.
- 364: Unlocks j2.
- 375: If Z8 is in play: 999, to complete Chapter 2.
- 386: Unlocks j4.
- 401: Get 19.
- 402: Unlocks F.
- 404: If 31 and 52 are in play (completing the map in the research booklet): 504 804, to unlock j1.
- 406: Get 73.
- 401: Get 28.
- 409: Get 32. With what: 11, to get 32.
- 411: Get 75.
- 412: Get 37. With what: 11, to get 37.
- 413: Unlocks i.
- 425: Get 54.
- 446: Add 50 and 54 (104), to get 52.
- 486: Get 58.
- 501: Get 16.
- 502: Unlocks e1.
- 503: Unlocks d7.
- 505: With what: 14, to get Z5.
- 509: With what: 12, to unlock D.
How Do I Solve Location Card K?
The following steps must be carried out (the order may vary in part):
- 862871 875, to get 65 // 872871 875, to get 65.
- If 65 is in play: 867868 889, to get 68 // If 65 is in play: 869868 889, to get 68.
- 870871, to get 66.
- If 66 and 68 are in play: 868873 915, to unlock L.
Optional:
- 864866 880, to get 67 // 867866 880, to get 67.
How Do I Unlock Location Cards?
- A: The game starts with A.
- B: A/201 650 350. Requires 17 and a check mark next to 101 (puzzle at 22 901, solution: 3022).
- C: B/612 // 12 with B/612.
- D: 12 with C/509.
- d1: If card 39 is in play: 805.
- d2: At R2 155, build the raft (requires 30, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5). Solution: 305225.
- d3: If card 40 is in play: 830.
- d4: If card 40 is in play: 930.
- d5: d3/139 // d4/239.
- d6: d3/139 // d4/239.
- d7: d5/230 // d5/330 // d6/503 // d6/603.
- E: 200 (requires completing Chapter 1 at d7/730).
- e1: E/502.
- F: E/402.
- f1: 43 with F/113.
- G: F/213.
- H: F/313.
- h1: 14 with H/135.
- i: F/413.
- i1: 47 with i/246.
- J: 56 with e1/602, then apply Z6+Z7 to 41 (solution: 582).
- j1: If 31 and 52 are in play (completing the map in the research booklet): J/404 504 804.
- j2: j1/364.
- j3: j2/275.
- j4: j3/386.
- K: 300 (requires completing Chapter 2 at j2/375 999).
- L: At K, if 66 and 68 are in play: 868873 915.
- M: L/306.
- m1: M/111.
- m2: m1/316.
- N: 12 with M/611.
- n1: reach the last space on T6 (980), then 680.
- n2: reach the last space on T6 (980), then 780.
- O: If card 77 is in play: 715 or 815.
- P: If card 80 is in play: apply Z6+Z7+Z8 to it (solution: 3851).
- p1: P/514.
- p2: p1/814 819.
- p3: P/214.
- p4: reach the last space on T6 (980), then 680.
- p5: reach the last space on T6 (980), then 780.
- Q: 46 with G/124.
Tile Hints
- Raft: At R2 155, build the raft (requires 30, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5). Solution: 305225.
- Ship: 300 (requires completing Chapter 2 at j2/375 999).
- Z1: A/201 650 350. Requires 17 and a check mark next to 101 (puzzle at 22 901, solution: 3022). Stays in play afterward.
- Z2: B/112. Needed for R2 155 (solution: 305225).
- Z3: d1/237. Needed for R2 155 (solution: 305225).
- Z4: 25 with C/209. Needed for R2 155 (solution: 305225).
- Z5: 14 with D/505. Needed for R2 155 (solution: 305225).
- Z6: 25 with B/212. Needed for 27 (solution: 396), 41 (solution: 582), and 80 (solution: 3851).
- Z7: 51 with d1/337. Needed for 41 (solution: 582) and 80 (solution: 3851).
- Z8: j4/670. Solution: 427. Needed for 80 (solution: 3851).
- Z9: 46 with G/124. Needed for 46 (solution: 467).
- Z10: i/546. Needed for 46 (solution: 467).
- Z11: F/513 // 14 with F/513. Needed for 46 (solution: 467).
- Z12: h1/235. Needed for 46 (solution: 467).
The research booklet is found at C/109.
The Authors
Since childhood, Phil Walker-Harding has loved playing and inventing board games. He particularly likes games that bring together people of different ages and personality types. Phil is also interested in theology, classic Hollywood films, and the myths of ancient Egypt. He lives with his wife Meredith in Sydney, Australia.
Matthew Dunstan was born in Sydney, Australia in 1987. His oldest memories of playing parlor games go back to playing card games with his grandmother and to a travel chess game that he had received from his aunt as a 6-year-old — with which he annoyed everyone by asking them to play with him. Today he works as a chemist at the University of Cambridge in England and is researching materials for the capture and storage of CO2.